How to catch the brass.

[Grandpa Ron]

When the lever gun ejects, especially the top eject models, how do you catch the brass?

I find that shiny brass and nickel a master at bidding in the grass. Even when it has been recently mowed.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I generally just hold my hand over the ejection port as I operate the lever when at the target range.
In CAS matches there are guys who pick it up for you. In the field I don't worry about it.

[earlmck]

The older I get the more brass attrition I am willing to accept.

And I have noticed that I seldom loose the larger cases, so while the 32/20 brass supply seems to shrink with every shooting session, the 30/30 supply stays reasonably stable. I really like the 32/20 load for plinking (117 grain bullet at 1700 fps) but have mostly been shooting it out of 30/30 and 300 Savage cases lately. Ease of finding the brass is a definite consideration.

[Sixgun]

Is this post for real? ----6

[Griff]

Is this post for real? ----6

Apparently since the two of us have both seen it, it must be.

[Aussie Chris]

I just catch it with my hand if i'm taking my time...

[Hairtrigger]

I bought a mesh laundry bag and made a metal frame to hold it open. A vise grip holds it next to my bench for easy install and removal
No kidding

[Tycer]

I have an old king size sheet in my range gear.

[mikld]

When I'm shooting my .44 Mag Puma, I do a couple things. First, I tumble most of my brass, but for some I'll tumble them 'till they shine (30-06, 45 ACP, and .44 Mag.). Shiny brass is easier to find in the dirt, grass, etc. at my "range". Also, when I lever in a new round, I'll aim the ejected case to the same area each time (not hard to do with practice). That way I have a close idea of where the brass went and it stands out...

[mikld]

Is this post for real? ----6

I just figgered the OP is just wanting to now what some old lever gunners do. Perhaps in the last 50 years of his shooting he has never had need to save brass. Mebbe he's getting into reloading or his Grandson wants to reload and wants some brass. Mebbe he had been shooting his old Marlin for the last 40 years and just got a Winchester 94 for Father's Day (that tosses empties out the top). Mebbe he has only been shooting his Daddy's '03 Springfield and dropped the empties at his feet. Lots of reasons for this thread to be "real"...

[Richardx]

I like to spread out one those cheap plastic tarps and shoot standing on it, just make your first shot or carry one empty cartridge and eject it to see what the landing zone is and adjust your stance.

Started doing this not for the brass but a buddies guns always seemed to be ejecting parts and we would spend the morning combing the grass to find his widget.

[hayabusa]

My son and I found a widget while picking up our brass last Sunday! I wonder if it looked like your friends widget. lol

busa

[Griff]

In answer to the OP, it really depends on what type of shooting I'm doing. If off a bench, I just extract slowly and pick 'em off the bolt; if competing, usually someone's observing and they'll catch 'em or point out where they land; if hunting, what brass???

[Malamute]

if hunting, what brass???

I sometimes lower the gun before levering the empty out, then catch it in the air as it cartwheels. That was a handy thing when using a 32 auto/30-30 adapter. The empty 32 auto brass would spin out of the adapter and Id catch the empty adapter.

[Old Ironsights]

Top eject leverguns is why cowboy hats have brims...

But I just catch them in the air with my lever hand.

[Grandpa Ron]

I have seen 45 auto shooter put a tarp down at the ranger. I am shooting a 357 /38 top eject off a bench and I have not found a way to work the lever and catch the shell. I have directed them at an open gun case with some success but a few of the errant cases will fly wild.

I know it may sound silly but I really hate to loose brass, nor do I like see it strewn about the range. Too bad I do not shoot 9 mms, I pick up a lot of those.

[Griff]

I have seen 45 auto shooter put a tarp down at the ranger. I am shooting a 357 /38 top eject off a bench and I have not found a way to work the lever and catch the shell. I have directed them at an open gun case with some success but a few of the errant cases will fly wild.

I know it may sound silly but I really hate to loose brass, nor do I like see it strewn about the range. Too bad I do not shoot 9 mms, I pick up a lot of those.

If you're shooting a Rossi '92 you can take a couple of coils out of the ejector spring to soften its "fling". I did that with mine and one tends to drop my brass right at my feet. One tends to throw it about 3 feet to the right, and the other still flings it a bit farther... but I did less choppin' on the last two.

[AJMD429]

I made a wire thing that looked like an oversized FN-FAL carry handle, and hung a 12" square of suede leather from it; the brass from side-ejecting semiautos would just hit it and then fall at my feet. It avoided the weight of accumulating brass, or the 'swinging-bag' effect on aiming, but probably wouldn't work on top-eject guns.

A metal detector comes in handy, too......

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. . .however, the BEST way I've found is to have my wife stand on the right side wearing a loose blouse. . . .

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. . . most of the brass still gets lost, but watching what happens when she 'catches' one is worth all the lost brass. . .

[mikld]

Sorta an aside; I don't mind picking up brass from the ground, really. I made a tool/stick with a small rod bent 90 degrees to slip into the necks of cases to pick them up. Sometimes I find interesting cases. Even though there's a sign asking all shooters to police their brass and shells, I usually go home with more brass than I brought...

[Streetstar]

I have seen 45 auto shooter put a tarp down at the ranger. .

I've tried that but in windy Oklahoma - its an enormous pain to keep the tarp down